Cabinet Painting Cost Calculator — Doors, DIY & Pro
Who this is for: For homeowners eyeing dated kitchen cabinets — where painting at $1,200 beats replacing at $15,000 if the boxes are sound.
Doors and drawers in — get the repaint cost DIY vs professional, and the vs-replacement reality check.
Quick answer: Cabinet painting: pros charge $50–100 per door/drawer face (a 30-unit kitchen ≈ $1,500–3,000); DIY materials run $10–15 per unit ($300–500). Against $15,000+ replacement, painting sound cabinets is the highest-ROI kitchen refresh — if prep is done right.
Units
30
20 doors + 10 drawers
Per unit
$75
pro band $50–100
Total
$2,250
quote band
The comparison that matters: paint $1,500–3,000 vs reface $7,000–15,000 vs replace $15,000–40,000+. Paint wins when boxes are sound — open a door and check frame integrity first. And the finish that lasts is enamel over bonding primer, not wall paint.
Pro: $50–100 per door/drawer face (sprayed, degreased, primed). DIY: $10–15 per unit in materials (cabinet-grade enamel + bonding primer). Spec: degrease → scuff sand → primer → 2 enamel coats.
Core facts
Pro
$50–100 per door/drawer face
DIY
$10–15 per unit in materials
30-unit kitchen
$1,500–3,000 pro / $300–500 DIY
vs replace
Paint = 10–20% of replacement
Spec
Degrease → scuff → bonding primer → enamel ×2
Status
Figures follow 2026 US industry averages: pro interior $2–6/sq ft of wall area, coverage 350–400 sq ft/gal per coat, paint $15–60/gal by tier, exterior $1.5–5/sq ft. Estimates for budgeting — your local market and surface condition move the final number.
How much does it cost to paint kitchen cabinets?
Count units, not square feet: professional cabinet painting runs $50–100 per door/drawer face (2026 US, including degrease, sand, primer, sprayer finish) — a 30-door kitchen runs $1,500–3,000. DIY runs $10–15 per unit in materials (quality enamel like a cabinet-grade acrylic latex, degreaser, sanding supplies, foam rollers or sprayer rental) plus serious hours — cabinet work is prep-heavy and shows every shortcut. The calculator prices both and the comparison that matters: repainting $1,500–3,000 vs refacing $7,000–15,000 vs replacing $15,000–40,000+. Sound boxes + tired finish = paint is the highest-ROI kitchen move there is.
Common uses
Budgeting a kitchen refresh without replacement
Comparing paint vs reface vs replace with real numbers
Checking a cabinet painter's per-door rate against the band
Deciding DIY-enamel vs hired-sprayer finish
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to paint kitchen cabinets?
Professional: $50–100 per door/drawer face — a typical 30-unit kitchen runs $1,500–3,000. DIY: $300–500 in materials for the same kitchen, priced around $10–15 per unit. Sprayed pro finishes sit at the top of the band; brushed DIY at the bottom.
Is it cheaper to paint or replace kitchen cabinets?
Painting runs 10–20% of replacement cost. If boxes are structurally sound and the layout works, paint wins overwhelmingly. Replace when: boxes are water-damaged, the layout must move (plumbing/electrical), or door style change alone can't modernize.
What kind of paint for cabinets?
A cabinet-grade enamel — acrylic latex enamel or alkyd enamel, often thinned for spraying. Cabinet surfaces need degreasing (TSP), scuff sanding, bonding primer, then 2 coats. Wall paint on cabinets chips within months; the right enamel is the difference.
How long does painted cabinet finish last?
A proper sprayed enamel job: 8–15 years. Brushed DIY on well-prepped boxes: 5–10 with touch-ups. The failure mode is prep, not paint — grease residue under primer is what peels.
DIY sprayed or brushed?
Sprayer rental ($50–100/day) gives the factory look but demands masking the whole kitchen; high-quality foam rollers 'level' enamels get close to sprayed for a fraction of the masking. First-timers: roll-and-tip or self-leveling enamel, doors laid flat.